


Loss

by suzunofuu



Category: Inazuma Eleven, Inazuma Eleven: Ares no Tenbin, Inazuma Eleven: Orion no Kokuin
Genre: Angst, Awkward Friendship, Enemies to Friends, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Past Frienship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-30
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2019-04-30 09:49:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14494311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suzunofuu/pseuds/suzunofuu
Summary: After losing against Raimon, Gazel doesn't know what to do with himself. Gran and Burn aren't really helping.Prompt: a drabble containing the phrase "What, nothing"?





	Loss

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on tumblr: @suzunofuu

“It’s a pity, Gazel,” Hiroto says, as if he could even start to understand what it feels like to be tosed to the trash as if he were nothing, as if he gave a shit that he’s going to be discharged from his duty, as if he was actually sad that Suzuno’s not going to be his opponent any longer.

Nagumo starts saying something, but he doesn’t listen.

The reunion lasts some more minutes yet he’s frozen, hands curled into fists, muscles trembling out of control, eyes lost nowhere – fossilized, immobilized to his core. It’s not a coincidence that air is his element; cold, severe, numbing, cutting, unforgiving, dangerous. It’s not a coincidence that he can summon ice and use it against the enemy, since that’s all he is, all he’s ever been. All he is now: cold as stone ice.

Suzuno’s quick to get into the elevator once Hiroto calls them off, wishing to be left alone. His wishes aren’t fulfilled, since Nagumo gets into the elevator with him and snorts at him, lingering on the satisfaction Hiroto’s announcement has brought him. Suzuno knows anything that makes him slightly miserable will make Nagumo happy, but today he’s not in the mood for his enmity. He really isn’t.

“You didn’t even try,” Nagumo bickers at him, hands on his hips and that arrogant expression Suzuno detests so much on his face. “You’ve played better practicing against me, and that’s saying a lot, since you were never really that strong to begin with.”

It’s been years since they started getting on each other’s throats for no reason at all, years since they stopped being friends and started treating each other like actual crap, always yearning to discourage, enrage, sadden or intimidate the other with their power. It’s been years and Suzuno is used to it, but today he’s done. He’s done with the academy, done with never being enough, done being done.

He crosses his arms and looks away, no energy in him to answer or to even consider answering.

Nagumo frowns. Suzuno’s always been cold and impassive, silent, but his posture isn’t the usual. He seems small, petite, scared, as if he wanted to melt into the wall and cease to exist. His mood, aura or however one wants to call it makes Nagumo feel uneasy, guilty.

Nagumo crosses his arms, asks, “what, nothing?”

Suzuno doesn’t answer.

“Honestly, Gazel,” Nagumo huffs, bothered by Suzuno’s attitude. He’d rather have him snap back at him than to be ignored. He’s always despised when Suzuno ignored him. He crosses his arms and faces forward to the door of the elevator. “I know you’re ashamed but you could at least answer.”

Suzuno clears his throat, hair hiding his expression from his mate. “There’s nothing to say.”

Nagumo looks at him, the tone of his voice unsettling him. He knows he’s been mean to Suzuno all day, but his attitude is starting to make him wonder if they should worry that Diamond Dust’s loss has actually fucked up its captain. At least, even tho he doesn’t want it, there’s a wriggling and heavy worry moving in his guts, ready to manifest itself.

The elevator stops and Suzuno slips outside and away into the corridor, walking slowly, with no energy at all. Nagumo’s about to turn the other way and leave him alone but he follows Suzuno, throwing his arms behind his head in a careless move and saying: “I’ll be next to defy Raimon and we’ll beat the shit outta them, you’ll see. Prominence will take a win for ya.”

He didn’t pretend to sound soothing or comforting, so when Suzuno stops to stare at him with the kind of expression that demands comfort and sweet words, it freezes him, makes him lower his arms and stare away.

“Okay,” Suzuno accepts, and Nagumo has to look back at him, surprised in every possible way by the softness on Suzuno’s voice, the frailness of his attitude.

They stand in the middle of the corridor, in silence, for some more seconds, staring at one another.

In the end, Nagumo awkwardly pats Suzuno’s shoulder and walks away, not really knowing how the situation’s made him feel. It’s the first time in years he doesn’t want to rip Suzuno’s head off or that Suzuno doesn’t make him feel like they want to make each other disappear. It’s the furthest away from any negative sensation he’s been when around Suzuno since they were kids, and he doesn’t know how to handle it, doesn’t know how to handle that Suzuno may not actually hate him.

On the other hand, Suzuno knows damn well what he’s feeling. He never forgot what being Nagumo’s friend was like – how that scalding energy could pick him up off the ground and return the willing to live into his body. He’s never forgotten their friendship nor has forgiven Nagumo for ditching him when he had the chance.

This is the closer they’ve been in years of becoming friends again, and Suzuno doesn’t know how to take that, doesn’t know if he _wants_ that.

He gets to his room and, as he starts to worry about his situation in the academy and what’s going to happen next, he lets Nagumo’s failed attempt at making him feel better slip out of his mind, and lets the restlessness consume him.

Today is not a day to win. Today is a day of loss.


End file.
